


French Braids

by goldenspecter



Series: Hair AU [2]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Autistic!Clockwork, Autistic!Tucker Foley, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Gen, Nonbinary Clockwork, Valerie finally talks about homecoming, i just...love these two so much, kid!clockwork
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:40:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25906717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenspecter/pseuds/goldenspecter
Summary: French braid, also called French plait or Oklahoma braid, is a type of braided hairstyle. The three-strand gathered plait includes three sections of hair that are braided together from the crown of the head to the nape of the neck. There are many variations of the common French braid within the natural hair community.Three times Valerie french braids Clockwork's hair and one time Damon does.
Relationships: Clockwork & Valerie Gray, Valerie Gray & Clockwork
Series: Hair AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858615
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	French Braids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clockwork comes back like they were supposed to, Valerie has go out and shop to make dinner, so why not have Clockwork come with her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, first thing before I go into my long winded notes: OH MY GOD I LOVE YALL SO MUCH?? YALL HAVE LEFT SO MANY KIND COMMENTS ON MY PREVIOUS FIC? I've never wanted to cry tears of joy so badly. Like oh my god, I'm just so, so so so happy that this fic resonates with black and poc phans here, I'm just-oh my god.
> 
> On that note, I've recieved a comment that also stated about how black and other poc voices are excluded within the phandom when trying to call out the racism within the shows. While this isn't my personal experience, I've also had friends talk to me about how that happened to them as well and I'm disheartened to say the least. So to really rectify that, I decided to create a BIPOC only Phandom [discord](https://discord.gg/sY47vrA). Tap here to join!
> 
> Alright, moving into the thick of the notes here. 
> 
> -It took me...some time to write this first part of this phic and it wasn't just because of the writer's block. Okay I wrote the first part in two weeks but still. It probably didnt help I wrote 4k words within the span of twenty four hours either. But the main reason was because, I was kinda nervous writing this fic. I was really worried about messing up Valerie's character(especially with her confronting Tucker), not keeping same quality, care and intimacy that was present in the first part of this AU. This is the first phic of its kind in the phandom and I want to do it justice. When I wrote the first part, I didn't really intend on it being an AU but the idea grew and grew and grew and I knew that one fic wouldn't do it justice. 
> 
> -I can't believe I forgot to mention this right when I posted Wash and Go. I edited it in, but still. Clockwork and Tucker in this AU and in my other phics is autistic because I'm autistic and the projection is real fam. There will probably be more autistic characters showing up in this au so. Not to mention it's just so hard to find representation of autistic black kids/adults in media. So this AU will display some 'classic' symptoms of autism like echolalia, lack of eye contact, etc. 
> 
> -Valerie uses AAVE terms so if there are words that pop out at you that you don't instantly recognize/aren't sure of, that's AAVE and it's used in its correct context.
> 
> -This chapter focuses on the process and talk of hair(see the talk with hair texture in this first part) but also will bring in the themes of food. Food in literature is a symbolism as a time of communion and intimacy, but can also be used to reveal a lot about a character but double that with black culture? Peak symbolism. There's just an unspoken thing that I just can't quite pick up/put into words about black characters in film/tv showssitting around a freshly cooked meal and the communion that takes place there? I live for it. Looking at my other phic, Roomates and Adoption, the theme of food is explored for the first three chapters, I just really had a thing going about food huh.
> 
> -I love Damon so much, he's just such a good parent. Best Parent in the show, he loves his daughter so, so, so much. I'm here for healthy black father&daugther relationships
> 
> -Can't talk about hair textures without talking about the hair textures I have in mind for Valerie and Clockwork! Clockwork has a 4C hair type while Valerie has a 4A hairtype. Look up images on Google if you don't know what I'm talking about.
> 
> Here's what I imagine Valerie's and Clockwork's french braids [frenchbraids](https://hips.hearstapps.com/sev.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/08/54e840df788bf_-_21-cornrows-lgn.jpg?fill=320:426&resize=980:*) look like! I pick up the image from a [Seventeen](https://www.seventeen.com/beauty/hair/advice/g938/hairstyles-for-natural-hair/?slide-1) article. I know the descriptor calls that one cornrows, and it is, but just imagine that but as french braids. 
> 
> -Music in this fic: [Nothing In This World by Keke Wyatt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diEV1qC34Og) and [Supermodel by SZA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tiixq9rT_J0)
> 
> -Timeline wise: Takes place after One of a Kind. One of A kind happens right after Parental Bonding, so this phic happens the weekend after One of a Kind.

Clockwork returns exactly one week later and when they show up at Valerie's house, they pop in to see her sitting at the kitchen table. She's hunched over a piece of paper, hand pinching her temple, hand scribbling away at a sheet of paper. 

Valerie doesn't hear the portal open and close nor does she notice that Clockwork is standing across the table. She looks up, sees the young Time Master, the corners of her eyes crinkling in joy, her smile lights up the room and she feels visibly brighter and lighter seeing Clockwork. 

"You're back!" she says, standing up and reaching over the table to gently pinch their cheeks, grabbing on their chubby cheeks and gently massaging them with her thumb. Clockwork doesn't seem to mind, not bothering to push her hand away from their face.

"You said come back in a week," Clockwork says, nervously folding their hands in front of them. "Unless I misheard you."

Valerie is quick to reassure. "No, no, I said a week. I just can't believe the week has passed by already. It's been so quick." Valerie squints at Clockwork, "Did you speed up time?" 

Clockwork shakes their head. "No. I have difficulty making the passage of time move faster. I'm okay with rewinding though," they say. "But if I could, I'd definitely would so I could spend more time with you."

Valerie covers her hand with her mouth, looks away, taken away by how undeniably sweet and adorable Clockwork sounds. The innocence within that admission makes Valerie's heart soar and plummet, hearing that of all the people and ghosts in the world, she's the one they want to spend more time with and the loneliness that they had to have suffered from for her to be their only choice.

"That's absolutely sweet of you to say," she says, lowering her hand from her mouth. "I'm always willing to spend more time with you as well."

"Really?" Clockwork says, eyes growing wide and Valerie would love to know who exactly has hurt someone as sweet as this kid. 

"Yea!" she says, walking away from the table to the bathroom and combing back with a spray bottle, two combs in her hands and some grease. "I'm surprised that you don't have other people or ghosts lining up to spend time with you."

Clockwork goes silent, and Valerie wonders if she accidentally  
treaded into a sensitive topic for them. "Did you not spend time with other ghosts other then the Observants?" she asks cautiously, waiting for a response. 

Clockwork jerkily nods their head, "I did have friends, just, not anymore, I guess. Time Masters aren't supposed to have friends," they say, "But I have you now, so it's an improvement." 

"What do you mean not anymore?" Valerie asks, that stubborn curiosity running full speed ahead. 

"I had friends at some point, then I didn't. Now I have you," they say tersely, looking away from her. 

She can tell that she crossed some line, that she brought up some bad memories for the young Time Master, "Hey, you know you can tell me if I cross any lines or make you uncomfortable?"

Clockwork raises an eyebrow, "Even if I did, that's not going to change anything," they say matter of factly. "It hasn't before, why would it now?" 

Valerie remembers that the two had this conversation last time and that Clockwork said the exact same thing last week but it still doesn't stop her from feeling irritated and heartbroken that these Observants either taught them to not pay attention to their boundaries, that no one cares about their boundaries or both. Probably both. She blinks, sighs-she thinks she's calm enough to continue. "I meant what I said," she says simply. "Just tell me if I mess up, okay?" 

"Okay," Clockwork says. Eying the grease and spray bottle, they ask, "I thought you were going to do my hair." 

"I am." Valerie says.

"But, you don't have the shampoo and conditioner? I thought you have to wash my hair first?" Clockwork asks, not quite understanding what was going on. 

"Normally, I would," Valerie asks, pointing at Clockwork, then at the chair. Clockwork sits in the chair, she picks up the spray bottle, turns the nozzle until it's loose enough and starts spritzing water into their hair. "But I don't really have that time today."

"Why not?" 

"Grocery shoppin'" she answers as she continues to spritz water onto Clockwork's hair. She pats the underside and top of their hair to make sure it's not too damp. "Daddy's at work and I promised him I'd cook us some dinner." 

"Can I come?" Clockwork asks quietly, nervously swinging their feet, waiting for Valerie to laugh and say no.

Valerie shrugs. "Sure." she answers, putting the spray bottle down, picking up the rattail comb, and settles the teeth right on Clockwork's hairline. Valerie gently drags the comb straight down their scalp, separating their hair as she parts through the thick, curly sea that was Clockwork's hair. She occasionally had to manually part it with her fingers when she got to some of the more kinky parts. Once she finishes parting Clockwork's hair, she takes one half of their hair and puts it in a ponytail. She hums to herself as she grabs the bottle of hair oil, opens it up and pours a decent amount of it into her hand before rubbing it into Clockwork's hair. 

"Your hair is eatin’ this oil up chile," she says, mostly to herself. 

"Is that a bad thing?" 

"Nah, I'm just making an observation." Valerie says, pouring more oil on Clockwork's hair while rubbing it in. "I ain't too surprised, your hair is pretty dry. It's also hella thick so it needs a bit more oil." 

"Oh, okay," they say, wincing when Valerie sinks the teeth of her comb into Clockwork's hair and begins combing it. 

"Is it too much?" she asks, "I'm not combing it out too much, just enough so I can braid it." 

Clockwork shakes their head, "No, I've had worse than this." they answer nonchalantly. 

_'Worse?'_ Valerie wants to ask, _'What's the worst thing you've been through?'_ She's full of questions that desperately need answers but she'll take what she's given from this child who desperately needs love. She runs the comb through their hair a few more times before she gathers their hair and begins braiding it. 

Valerie divides the top section of Clockwork's hair into three smaller strands. She starts the braid by crossing the right strand over the middle and crossing the left over the middle. Valerie continues the braid by adding a small section of hair to the right strand, then crossing the now larger strand over the middle, doing the same with the left side and repeating it along the curve of Clockwork's head. When she gets to the bottom of the braid, she grabs a rubber band, tightly wraps it around the loose hair and fluffs out the puff of hair before she repeats the whole process again on the other side of Clockwork's hair. 

It takes her less than ten minutes to finish the other braid and once she finishes, she rubs some more oil on the two puffs of hair, fluffs it again before pulling Clockwork out their seat and in front of the bathroom mirror to show off the end result. 

"Like it?" she asks. 

Clockwork traces their fingers along the curve of their braid and lightly cups one of their puffs, "It's pretty," they say, "I like it." 

Valerie nods, "Glad you do." She goes back out for the hair supplies, brings them in the bathroom and sits it on the sink. The fourteen year old picks up the small comb, parts her hair into two sections, wraps one side of it in a bun, sticks a comb through it to hold in place before she braids the first section. Valerie quickly expertly braids her hair into two french braids exactly like Clockwork's. When she finishes, she turns around to face Clockwork with a big grin. "Twinsies!"

"Twinsies." Clockwork agrees with a soft smile. They looked at her puffs, and they couldn't help but notice how her curls looked so much different than theirs. Valerie's curls looked dense, springy with a notable S pattern while theirs looked less dense and not as well defined as Valerie's. 

"Valerie?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did," she teases, flashing a cheeky grin in the mirror. Clockwork raises an eyebrow, unfamiliar with the friendliness in her jest. "Go ahead honey."

"How come your curls don't look like mine?" they ask, before immediately regretting it. "I know it sounds like a stupid question but I really wanna know."

"It's not a stupid question," Valerie says, "We have different hair types-"

"What's a hair type?"

Valerie puts a finger under her chin as she thinks, "It's uhh… how do I put this? It's like the texture of your hair and every texture has a different curl pattern." 

Clockwork tilts their head. "Curl pattern? What's that?" 

"It's the way your hair curls," she explains, "Everyone has a different hair type and even those with the same hair style, their hair looks different because of it."

"Good different?" Clockwork asks. 

"Good different." Valerie says, ruffling the curly puffs and pinching their cheeks. Clockwork looks down, a blush spreading across their face. Valerie coos at how pretty they look, pulling them into a hug and gently tickling under their neck, and she can't help the smile that comes about when she hears a soft, carefree laugh escape Clockwork. 

The two spend a few more minutes goofing around in front of the mirror, before Valerie pulls away from the Time Master and gets her shopping list, her wallet with her dad's debit card and house keys. She heads to the door as she calls for Clockwork, her hands lightly resting on the doorknob before she holds a hands out to stop them. 

"Where do you think you're going?" she asks. 

"To the store?" Clockwork says, confusion coloring their voice. "You said I could go with you."

"Not looking like that you ain't." 

"Looking like what?"

"A _ghost."_

Now Clockwork looks offended, "What's wrong with looking like a ghost?" they ask, offended. "I can't help it." 

"Nothing, nothing," Valerie says, quick to clarify. "I'm not sure if you're aware but the Fentons have been on the hunt for ghosts. They've been talking about tearing them apart molecule by molecule and some other nasty things. If they saw you, they'd have a field day with you and I don't want that to happen to you." 

"Why?"

"Because I care about you, I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Clockwork is silenced. "Oh," they say, slightly dumbfounded by the mere idea that someone, moreso a human _, cares_ about what happens to them. "What should I do?"

"Aren't ghosts able to make a disguise?" she asks, fishing for a possible solution. It wasn't the best solution but at least she came up with one.

"I think so?" Clockwork says, before closing their eyes and scrunching their face in concentration with their fists balled at their sides. A few seconds later, they open an eye and look at Valerie nervously, "Did I do it?" 

She nods. 

"How do I look?"

Valerie doesn't say anything as she pulls out her phone, pressing some buttons and bends next to Clockwork, holding her phone out in front of them. "What are you-" Whatever the young ghost was going to ask was abruptly cut off by the figure staring back at them in her phone. Their fingers brush across thick jet black hair, lightly ghost across dark brown skin and dark brown eyes flicker over to Valerie. 

"That's me?" they ask. 

Valerie nods, smiling at the camera and taking a selfie of the two. "You ready?" 

Clockwork slowly nods their head. Valerie opens the door, stepping out of the house. Clockwork follows behind her and she holds her hand out for them to hold onto. They slip their hand into hers and she tightly closes her hand around theirs, and they begin walking to the store. Clockwork takes pleasure in how warm Valerie's hand feels, how grounding, how secure their hand feels in hers and how safe they feel _with_ her.

Clockwork tries not to get too attached to this, squeezing her hand and when they feel her squeezes back, they know that it's too late. 

* * *

It takes them about thirty minutes to walk to the store. As the two walk to the entrance, Valerie pulls out one of the shopping carts and pushes it in the store with her, picking out some disinfectant wipes to wipe off the handle. 

She looks down at Clockwork, "Hey, you wanna hop in?" 

"Umm...if you're okay with it." they say.

"I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't okay with it." she says, "It's up to you anyways."

"Can you? My feet hurt a little," Valerie bends down a bit, puts her hands under their armpits and picks them up. Clockwork yelps, clinging to her side for a moment before she places them inside the cart. 

"How's that?" 

"Better," they say. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome," she says, pushing the cart and stopping when she comes across the fridge in front of the self checkout aisle. Valerie pulls out two Arizona Teas, handing one to Clockwork before she opens hers and takes a long sip. Clockwork hesitantly opens theirs and sips it, feeling the cold tea cool them down before they sip on it a little faster. 

Valerie pulls her can away from her mouth, "Is it good?" she asks with a teasing smile. 

Clockwork nods as they take another sip of the tea. "Aren't we stealing?" 

Valerie shakes her head, "I'm gonna pay for it, so don't worry your pretty lil head about it."

"Oh, okay."

Valerie pushes the cart away from the self checkout and over to the produce area. The first thing she picks up is a bag of potatoes, turning the bag over to make sure that none of the potatoes have rotted. Once she picks a bag that's up to par, she places it in the cart, gently instructing Clockwork to fold their legs so it won't crush them. Moving on from the produce, she moves onto frozen meats lined along the back of the store next to the dairy products. Valerie parks the cart in front of the meat, picking up two packages of chicken breasts, comparing the two and picking the one with more meat in it. She sets it down in the cart and begins to walk down the aisles, picking up some seasoning and sauce. Clockwork tries to stay quiet but eventually starts to ramble when Valerie asks about how ghosts are formed. 

"So some ghosts are born," she notes. "Are they born the same way like humans are born?"

"Uh, I think?" they say, "I'm not really sure how humans are born though." 

"Let's keep it that way for now." She says quickly, not particularly eager to talk about how babies are formed with a seven year old.

"Were you born?" she asks, pushing the cart, "Who are your parents?"

Clockwork nods, "I don't really have parents, I've been in the care of the Observants for as long as I can remember."

Valerie files that information away for later, "How are the other ghosts formed?"

"Valerie?" An unfamiliar voice cuts in. "I've been wanting to talk to you for a while."

Valerie grits her teeth and squares her shoulders, "Go away Tucker."

"I know I messed up-"

She whips around, her green eyes narrowing in anger. "You left me!" she hisses, "I was alone!" 

Tucker winces, rubbing his neck. "Let me explain Valerie." 

"You don't get to explain how you stood me up at homecoming," Valerie starts, her voice tight. "You don't get to waltz in here-" Her shoulders deflate, the anger leaving her body and soon washes her over with sadness. 

"Go," she points down the aisle, "I don't want to hear your excuses."

Tucker bows his head, trudging down the aisle, away from Valerie and Clockwork, until it's just the two of them on the aisle. Clockwork watches Tucker leave, then turn to Valerie, who's roughly rubbing her fists into her eyes. 

"Are you okay?" they ask, despite knowing the obvious answer to that question. "What happened?"

Valerie keeps a closed hand over her eye while the other props itself under her elbow. "There was a homecoming dance a few weeks back," she begins explaining, looking down at the ground. "Tucker asked me to go with him and then he just..didn't show up at my house. He shows up to the dance with that Mason girl instead and I'm still so-"

Seeing Valerie fumble for words, Clockwork tries to help. "Sad? Mad?" they offer, phasing out of the shopping cart to wrap their arms around Valerie's waist in a hug. She hugs them when they were sad, and she seems pretty sad but they weren't sure if it would help. "Smad?"

"Smad." she agrees hugging Clockwork back as she bites back her other feelings. _Humiliated. Betrayed._

Clockwork recalls that particular incident very clearly and they know the real reason why he stood her up. "If it helps, he didn't want to hurt you." 

"But he did." 

"He didn't want to though," Clockwork says again. 

"You know what happened." she says flatly. 

They nod. 

"You can't tell me," Valerie guesses, Clockwork nods. "Time Master stuff, right?"

Clockwork nods again. "He didn't want to, I promise you." 

"You're saying I should give him another chance?" 

Clockwork shrugs, "What's that thing called when you say something's uncomfortable or you don't like it?"

Valerie thinks for a moment before she understands what they're talking about. "Boundaries?"

"Mmhmm!" they say, thankful that she knows what they meant. "Only if you're comfortable with it." 

She purses her lips into a thin line, "I'll think about it." she says with a sense of finality as she starts to push the cart again. "Let's get some veggies, some sweets and a wagon."

Clockwork looks up at her, "I thought you didn't need sweets for dinner."

"We don't," she says, "Sometimes sweets can cheer you up when you're sad."

Clockwork raises an eyebrow. That doesn't make sense but if Valerie says so, then it must be true. 

"Have you ever had Pocky?" 

Clockwork shakes their head. Valerie grins, pushing the cart a little bit faster, "Oh! You're gonna love it!

* * *

Valerie and Clockwork pick up the veggies, a wagon as well as a few boxes of Pocky sticks and some more Arizona Teas. Valerie pays for the food, and once they're outside she quickly assembles the wagon, puts the groceries in and begins the walk home with her hand holding Clockwork's. 

Valerie and Clockwork quickly make it back home, and as they walk home, Clockwork discovers that they really, _really_ like Pocky sticks. Clockwork chomps on the last stick on the box while Valerie stops outside the front door, jiggling through her pockets for the house keys. Once the two step inside the house, Valerie wheels the wagon into the kitchen and puts the frozen vegetables in the freezer, the bag of potatoes on the kitchen counter and runs some cold water in the sink and places the chicken breast in the water. When there’s enough water in the sink, Valerie turns the water off and lets the chicken breast sit in the water. 

She looks through the kitchen cabinets, pulls out a giant metal bowl and looks into the kitchen drawer next to the stove, pulling out a potato peeler. 

"Turn the water back on. Make sure it's warm," Valerie instructs, miming the action of swinging the sink head as well. Clockwork does as they were told to, watching Valerie set the potato peeler and bowl down and dump the bag of potatoes into the sink. 

"Can I help?" Clockwork asks. 

Valerie nods, "You can help me wash the potatoes. Let me show you how," she says, grabbing a potato and guiding the child's hands to cover the potato. She pushes their hands under the running water and guides their thumbs to gently but firmly rub dirt off of the potatoes. Valerie turns the potato over in Clockwork's hands and keeps on massaging their thumbs over the dirt. When she thinks that the potato is sufficiently washed, she puts the potato in the bowl. 

"You think you can do it?" she asks, pulling her hands away from Clockwork when they nod their head emphatically. 

Valerie steps back, pulling her phone out of her pocket and starts playing one of her favorite playlists on spotify. Sitting her phone down, she turns her attention back to the potato. Valerie picks up the potato that Clockwork washed, picks up the peeler and sets the peeler against the skin of the potato and pulls down, watching the skin fall into the bowl. 

_"I can picture us in the living room_

_By the mantle piece_

_And you tellin me you love me_

_With your hands on my thighs_

_While I'm starin’ in your brown eyes"_

The music fills the comfortable silence and Valerie feels more in sync with the task at hand. She continues peeling the potatoes as Clockwork washes them, and when they finish, she picks out the potato peels and stuffs them into the bag the potatoes were in. Valerie moves the bowl of peeled potatoes into the sink, grabs a knife out of the knife block, picks up a potato and starts to cut the potatoes into thin slices. 

"Is there anything else I can do to help?" Clockwork asks, Valerie shakes her head. 

"Are you sure?" they ask again. 

Valerie starts to shake her head again before stopping, picks up Clockwork and sits them on the counter next to the sink. "You can keep me company, that's the most important job you have right now." 

They swing their legs, feet dully hitting against the cabinet. "Is that it?" 

"It's the most important job!" She says, tapping their nose. Valerie continues to slice the potatoes. "Have you eaten smothered potatoes before?"

"No," Clockwork says, "I'm a ghost. Ghosts don't really need to eat human food."

Valerie side eyes them, "Can't be me."

"They can if they want to but we aren't required to do so," Clockwork clarifies, watching Valerie. "At least I _think."_

Valerie hums as she finishes slicing the last potato and runs some cold water over the sliced potatoes. "Whether you need to or not doesn't matter right now, what matters is you're going to be fed whenever you step into this house." Valerie says, booking no room for arguments. "Potatoes are finished for now, time to prep the chicken." 

"Do you need-"

"Nope," she says, walking away from the sink to pick up a small bowl, flour, eggs and a large cutting board. "You have the most important job, remember? Leave everything to Val, okay?"

"Okay." 

Valerie returns to the sink with the items in hand, sits the cutting board, eggs and flour on the counter. She then goes back into one of the lower cabinets, pulls out another large bowl, then moves to pull down several spices and seasonings. Back at the counter, she cracks open two eggs, runs some water in the bowl and beats it until it blends together. With the egg mixture complete, she opens the flour and pours a decent amount into the bowl; Valerie then opens her seasons, and sprinkles in a copious amount of cayenne pepper, garlic seasoning, pepper, and paprika and mixes it all together. 

"Clockwork?" she calls out, they turn their head, "Can you change the song?"

Clockwork nods, picking up the phone. Turning on the phone, "What do you want?" 

"Supermodel, it's in the playlist." 

Clockwork plays the requested song and Valerie thanks them as she soulfully sings along. 

_"I'm writing this letter to let you know I'm really leaving_

_And no, I'm not keeping your shit_

_Heard you got some new homies_

_Got some new hobbies"_

"Lemme ask you a question. How are ghosts formed?" Valerie asks while she washes off her knife. She picks up a chicken breast, sits it on the cutting board and starts to slice in thin strips, making sure to cut against the grain of the chicken. "I know you told me some are born, but how are other ghosts formed?"

"They usually form when they have unfinished business after dying or have something that keeps them attached to the living," Clockwork explains, chewing on the sleeve of their hoodie. "Ghosts sometimes don't really have a reason for why they exist." 

"Ghosts can be any age when they...ya know become one?" 

"Mhmm, some of the ghosts in the Ghost Zone are kids while some of them are pretty old, like the Lunch Lady," says Clockwork, "Death doesn't really care about how old you are." 

The song changes and Beyonce's _Signs_ plays but Valerie is uncharacteristically sober to sing along her eyes darting away from Clockwork and back to the chicken. Her slices are no longer smooth, but uneven with varying degrees of thickness. "Invisobill is my age and he's protecting the city- he's not that good at it. There was that dragon girl at homecoming, who wanted a dance." 

"Yea, it's pretty normal." Clockwork says absently. 

"But it shouldn't be," Valerie argues, she feels something in her boils before it peters out and that coalescence confusion, dread and awareness of her own mortality dies out into nothing. 

"It shouldn't be." Clockwork agrees softly. "Just don't become a ghost too quickly." 

Valerie chuckles, "I hope not." she says, repressing the urge to joke if she died young, she wouldn't have wrinkles. Finishing up slicing the chicken. She takes a strip, dips it in the egg mixture and dips it again in the flour mixture, repeating the process for all the slices she cut up. She washes her hands, dries them with a towel, tears several paper towers off the roll and uses them to line the tray from earlier. 

"If I did…become a ghost, I wouldn't mind spending eternity with you." Valerie says. 

Clockwork stops chewing on their sleeve, looks up at Valerie, eyes wide in shock. "Really?"

"Really." Valerie says sincerely. 

The young Time Master isn't sure how to respond to the sincerity Valerie's offering so instead, they shove their sleeve back in their mouth and resume chewing on it. 

Valerie turns away, gets two large skillets and sets them both on the stove. She opens the canola oil and pours some into the first skillet. Once there's enough, she caps the bottle and sets it aside, turns the knob over to high and listens as the stove stutters before the flames erupt. She brings the bowl with the chicken and the tray next to the stove, patiently waiting for the oil to heat up. 

Minutes pass by, she pinches some flour, tosses it into the skillet, and starts laying the chicken into the oil when she here's the soft sizzle of the oil. She watches the chicken as it cooks in the oil, turning it over after several minutes. Valerie takes the chicken out once it's cooked all the way through and sits it on the tray so it can cool off. Once all of the chicken is finished, she turns the eye off before she cooks the potatoes. 

Fifteen minutes pass by and the potatoes are nearly done, Valerie asks Clockwork to grab the frozen vegetables out of the microwave. Clockwork brings the frozen veggies to her, she pops them in the microwave and turns it on. Valerie finishes cooking the potatoes, puts the lid on the skillet to keep them hot and takes the veggies out the microwave to dump them in a bowl and season them. 

Valerie doesn't hear the front door open, staring at Clockwork in panic when she hears his deep voice echo through the house. 

Clockwork only places a medallion shaped like a gear, black in the center with a gold outer edge in her hands. She looks down, her finger tracing one the entwined letters "CW" inscribed in a fancy blue font in the middle. "What do I do with this?" she asks. 

"Tap on it three times in a row and I'll come," Clockwork says, fading out of her sight and not a moment too soon, as her father steps into the kitchen and scoops her up in a strong sweeping hug. 

"How was your day sunshine?" Damon asks, kissing Valerie's forehead. 

"Good daddy."

"I see you cooked dinner," he says, hugging her tighter. "Let's eat, go sit down, I'll fix your plate."

Valerie goes to sit down at the table, waiting for her father to sit down with their food. She doesn't have to wait for long, as Damon arrives at the table with their food and condiments . He sits down across from Valerie, picks up his fork, stabs at the smothered potatoes and begins eating. 

Damon closes eyes and shakes his head, "Valerie, you have outdone yourself tonight," he says, "This is delicious."

Valerie feels her cheeks burn up, "I only learned from the best daddy," she says flustered as she tears one of her chicken strips in half and dips it into some honey mustard sauce. 

"This is all you sunshine, don't sell yourself short." 

Valerie doesn't say anything, deciding to focus on eating. She looks to her side and she can easily imagine Clockwork sitting next to her, nervously picking at their food, trying to figure out what they would try for the first time. She nudges their shoulder and she silently encourages them to dig in. 

"Valerie?" Her father's voice cuts in and Clockwork immediately disappears. "Are you okay?" 

Valerie forces herself to nod and continue eating as she and Damon talked about their day. 

She can't help but think about how much Clockwork belongs at the dinner table with her and her father and how empty dinner is without the young Time Master.

* * *

After dinner, father and daughter watched a few episodes of _Brooklyn Nine-Nine_ before Damon went to bed since he had work early in the morning. Damon hugs and gives Valerie a goodnight kiss on the forehead before he goes up the stairs. Valerie waits for her father to make it upstairs and shut the door to his room before she pulls medallion out of her shirt and taps it three times. 

Clockwork appears just like they said they would and Valerie can’t help but to gently squeeze their arm to make sure that this Clockwork was real. The young child tilts their head curiously, “Why’d you do that?”

Valerie feels her ears heat up, “No reason.”

“Okay,” they say, knowing that they won’t be able to get her to reveal the real reason. “Food now?”

She nods, “Food now.”

Valerie gets up and walks into the kitchen. She grabs a bowl and fork, sets it on the counter before pulling out the leftovers. Fixing small portions of smothered potatoes, veggies and chicken tenders, she puts the food in the microwave to heat it up, takes it out when Clockwork’s food is hot enough and sticks the fork in the food. Valerie brings out some ketchup and honey mustard as she brings over their food and sets it on the little table in front of the table. 

“Try it.” Valerie says with a nudge as she sits down, pulling them down next to her. 

Clockwork picks up the fork, stabs it into the potatoes and sticks it in their mouth, before pulling it right back out. “Hot.”

“Blow on it,” suggests Valerie. Clockwork does exactly that, sticks the food back in their mouth and chews silently before diving back in for more.

“Good, ain’t it?” asks Valerie with a knowing smile. 

The small child tries to answer, instead having to resort to a nod. Valerie offers the ketchup and honey mustard, to which they eagerly take from her and add to their food. Soon, they finish eating and look up at Valerie.

“Is there more?” they ask.

“You want more?” 

Clockwork nods emphatically. “Yes.”

“Yes _please_ ,” Valerie corrects offhandedly. “The rest is for Dad to take to work tomorrow. How about we go to sleep?”

“I sleep...here?” Clockwork swivels a finger around the room. 

“Well, in my room, yea,” says Valerie, “Growing kids need their sleep.”

Valerie turns off the TV, puts the bowl and fork in the kitchen sink and gestures for Clockwork come upstairs with her. It takes Valerie a bit to get them both comfortable but the two children finally make it work with Valerie at the edge of the bed while Clockwork is curled up close to her. 

“Goodnight,” whispers Valerie, only to be met with soft, slow breathing. Valerie turns off her lamp and soon falls asleep herself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr](http://goldenspecter.tumblr.com)


End file.
